Darts (band): Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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Founded in 1976, by [[Den Hegarty]] along with Griff Fender, Rita Ray and Horatio Hornblower, all former members of the band [[Rocky Sharpe|Rocky Sharpe and the Razors]]. Joining the band was Thump Thompson, George Currie and John Dummer, all ex members of the [[John Dummer Band|John Dummer's Blues Band]]. The line-up was completed by Hammy Howell and ex [[Mickey Jupp]] singer Bob Fish. They built up a large following playing [[nightclub|clubs]] and [[university|universities]], although their break came after they appeared on [[Charlie Gillett]]'s show on [[BBC Radio London]] in October 1976. This secured the band a recording contract with [[Magnet Records]], where they were teamed up with record producer [[Tommy Boyce]] who had previously produced [[The Monkees]]. Covering 1950s [[rock and roll]] [[hit record|hits]] they scored their first [[United Kingdom|UK]] hit in November 1977 with a [[medley (music)|medley]] of "[[Daddy Cool (The Rays song)|Daddy Cool]]" (originally a [[United States|U.S.]] 1957 hit for [[The Rays]]) and [[Little Richard]]'s 1957 hit "[[The Girl Can't Help It]]". More cover versions |
Founded in 1976, by [[Den Hegarty]] along with Griff Fender, Rita Ray and Horatio Hornblower, all former members of the band [[Rocky Sharpe|Rocky Sharpe and the Razors]]. Joining the band was Thump Thompson, George Currie and John Dummer, all ex members of the [[John Dummer Band|John Dummer's Blues Band]]. The line-up was completed by Hammy Howell and ex [[Mickey Jupp]] singer Bob Fish. They built up a large following playing [[nightclub|clubs]] and [[university|universities]], although their break came after they appeared on [[Charlie Gillett]]'s show on [[BBC Radio London]] in October 1976. This secured the band a recording contract with [[Magnet Records]], where they were teamed up with record producer [[Tommy Boyce]] who had previously produced [[The Monkees]]. Covering 1950s [[rock and roll]] [[hit record|hits]] they scored their first [[United Kingdom|UK]] hit in November 1977 with a [[medley (music)|medley]] of "[[Daddy Cool (The Rays song)|Daddy Cool]]" (originally a [[United States|U.S.]] 1957 hit for [[The Rays]]) and [[Little Richard]]'s 1957 hit "[[The Girl Can't Help It]]". More cover versions followed in 1978 with "Come Back My Love" (originally recorded by U.S. [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] group [[The Wrens]] in 1955), "[[The Boy from New York City]]" (originally a U.S. hit for [[The Ad Libs]] in 1965). Their next [[single (music)|single]] of 1978 was an original song "It's Raining" written by band member Griff Fender (real name Ian Collier). All three of the aforementioned hits reached number 2 in the [[UK Singles Chart]]<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book |
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Revision as of 08:19, 3 March 2013
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) |
Darts | |
|---|---|
 Darts live at the Rainbow, London 1978: (left to right: Bob Fish; Den Hegarty; Rita Ray; Griff Fender) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Brighton, England |
| Genres | Doo-wop revival New Wave Pop rock |
| Years active | 1976–1985 |
| Labels | Magnet |
| Past members | Bob Fish Den Hegarty Duncan Kerr George Currie Hammy Howell Ian Collier John Dummer Keith Gotheridge Nigel Trubridge Rita Ray Thump Thomson |
Darts were a nine-piece British doo-wop revival band that achieved chart success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The popular London-based band had a number of UK top 20 hits including three successive Number twos with revivals of early U.S. rock and roll and R&B songs.[1]
History
Founded in 1976, by Den Hegarty along with Griff Fender, Rita Ray and Horatio Hornblower, all former members of the band Rocky Sharpe and the Razors. Joining the band was Thump Thompson, George Currie and John Dummer, all ex members of the John Dummer's Blues Band. The line-up was completed by Hammy Howell and ex Mickey Jupp singer Bob Fish. They built up a large following playing clubs and universities, although their break came after they appeared on Charlie Gillett's show on BBC Radio London in October 1976. This secured the band a recording contract with Magnet Records, where they were teamed up with record producer Tommy Boyce who had previously produced The Monkees. Covering 1950s rock and roll hits they scored their first UK hit in November 1977 with a medley of "Daddy Cool" (originally a U.S. 1957 hit for The Rays) and Little Richard's 1957 hit "The Girl Can't Help It". More cover versions followed in 1978 with "Come Back My Love" (originally recorded by U.S. R&B group The Wrens in 1955), "The Boy from New York City" (originally a U.S. hit for The Ad Libs in 1965). Their next single of 1978 was an original song "It's Raining" written by band member Griff Fender (real name Ian Collier). All three of the aforementioned hits reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart[1] and sold a combined total of 1.25 million copies.[citation needed]
Following "It's Raining" in September 1978, Hegarty left the band to tend to his terminally ill father, and he was replaced by Kenny Andrews. Their final hit of 1978 was "Don't Let It Fade Away" (written by George Currie). "Get It" (written by Horatio Hornblower, under his real name Nigel Trubridge), followed in early 1979 and they also covered Gene Chandler's U.S. 1962 hit "Duke of Earl", produced by former Wizzard frontman Roy Wood. This was their last UK Top 10 hit, their only other sizeable hit coming in 1980 with a cover of The Four Seasons "Let's Hang On!". During the year, the line-up changed with Currie, Fish and Dummer leaving the band. Duncan Kerr (guitar) and Keith Gotheridge (drums), both formerly with Plummet Airlines joined,[2] and ex-Mud guitarist Rob Davis briefly joined the band, before moving into songwriting and production work. By the end of 1980 their hits had dried up and in 1983 they began to do theatre work appearing in the theatre production of Yakety Yak.
In 1981, Hegarty became a television presenter, including being part of the team fronting the children's programme, Tiswas. In 1985 Fender and Ray managed and produced the UK a cappella female group The Mint Juleps who scored two minor UK chart]entries with "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (originally by Neil Young) in 1986 and "Every Kinda People" (originally by Robert Palmer) in 1987.
The band remains in the Top 500 selling list according to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles.[1]
The band reformed in 2006 for occasional appearances, which consistently sell out.
Band line-up
| The original line-up included |
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|---|
Discography
Most records were released on the Magnet Records record label. All placings (below) are as recorded in the UK Singles Chart,[3] and UK Albums Chart.
Singles
| Year | Title | UK Singles Chart[1] | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | "Daddy Cool"/"The Girl Can't Help It" | #6 | Magnet |
| 1978 | "Come Back My Love" | #2 | |
| "The Boy from New York City" | #2 | ||
| "It's Raining" | #2 | ||
| "Don't Let It Fade Away" | #18 | ||
| 1979 | "Get It" | #10 | |
| "Duke of Earl" | #6 | ||
| "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" | #43 | ||
| "Reet Petite" | #51 | ||
| 1980 | "Let's Hang On" | #11 | |
| "Peaches" | #66 | ||
| "White Christmas"/"Sh-Boom" | #48 | ||
| 1981 | "Jump Children Jump" | ― | |
| 1983 | "The Mystery of Ragoula" | ― | Choice Cuts |
| "Lorraine" | ― | ||
| "Yakety Yak EP" | ― | ||
| "Can't Teach a Fool" | ― | ||
| 1984 | "Groovin'" | ― | |
| "Blow Away" | ― |
Albums
- Darts, 1977, #9
- Everyone Plays Darts, 1978, #12
- The Amazing Darts, 1978, #8
- Dart Attack, 1979, #38
- Darts Greatest Hits, 1980
- Darts Across America, 1981
- Darts (6-track EP), 1984
- The Platinum Collection, 2006
References
- ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 141. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Ptolemaic Terrascope interview by Mark Murden May 1993 Retrieved 08 April 2009
- ^ Amazingdarts.com